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Chapter 5: The Roman Republican Government
CHAPTER 5 The Roman Republican Government 5.1 BASIC GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE The Roman governmental structure of the Republican era was much admired by Polybius, a Greek who wrote an extensive history of Rome. He described the structure as having the executive power of a monarchy invested in two Consuls, the oligarchic power of an aristocratic council rested with the Senate, and the popular power of a democracy rested in the Plebeian and Popular assemblies. Most governments in history up to that point had been either a pure monarchy, pure oligarchy or pure democracy. The genius of the Roman Republic was that it incorporated all three aspects of government; and each served as a check upon the power of the other. Romans had no tolerance for kings. The Republican Era began with the ouster of the last King of Rome hundreds of years earlier, and no Roman worth his salt would ever want to see the return of the monarchy. Still, there was many an ambitious Roman who couldn‘t help but wondering what the world would be like if supreme executive power rested with him and him alone…and that, friends, is the major source of much of the political tension which is the hallmark of the Late Republic…and of our game! 5.2 INFLUENCE: GRAVITAS, AUCTORITAS, AND DIGNITAS A PC gains political power through a number of means. This power can be wielded in a number of useful ways, especially in the political arena. Influence gained will be added semi-annually, at the end of the second and fourth quarter. We use three terms to measure an individual‘s influence: Gravitas, Auctoritas, and Dignitas. (Wealth is, of course, a significant means of measuring power in its own right, but more on that later.) 5.2.1 Gravitas Gravitas is a PC‘s Influence within the Senate, and can be gained in one of two ways. The first is by holding an office (magisterial, military, or religious). The amount of Influence that comes with each office is listed in the rules. The second way is to be active. You get 10 Gravitas points for every year that you are active (posting at least 4 speeches in the Senate, or introducing 2 pieces of legislation) in the Senate. Therefore, you would earn 10 points every year of active service. Gravitas is a shared cut of the total votes in the Senate. As such, your Gravitas turns into Senate votes by this formula: (Player Gravitas/Total Gravitas)*(Senatorial Pool) Just as a modern politician often bases his every move on how it will look in the polls, a player in the LOS will gauge his actions on how it will affect his Auctoritas and Gravitas…his standing with the People and his fellow Senators. At gamestart, the amount of ―free votes‖ in the Senatorial Pool is relatively low, to reflect the effect of Sulla having packed the Senate with his cronies/goons during the time of his Dictatorship. As his influence begins to fade, the number of senators in the pool will gradually increase, meaning that the Gravitas of an individual player will have growing impact over time. 5.2.2 Auctoritas Auctoritas is a PC‘s influence on the masses. This is calculated by the Arbiter(s) as follows: Auctoritas can be gained through small deeds such as voting for popular laws, voting against unpopular laws, owning estates, etc. It can also be gained through activities in the courts. Arguing a case, even if you lose, will boost your standing among the People…but that standing will rise more, of course, if you win your case. You can lose auctoritas by engaging in unpopular acts such as voting against popular laws, being made a fool of through cuckoldry or some other public humiliation, being expelled from the Senate, etc. Auctoritas can be gained or lost through military exploits as well. Auctoritas, like Gravitas, is a shared cut, but of the popular vote. For purposes of simplification, it is assumed that roughly 10% of the total population votes in the Assemblies. Thus, Auctoritas turns into Assembly votes by this formula: (Player Auctoritas/Total Auctoritas)*(Population*0.1) Auctoritas also affects yearly elections. In addition, the candidate with the most votes received in each category will receive a one time 10 Auctoritas boost. 5.2.3 “All Glory Is Fleeting” Over time, the memory of noteworthy deeds fade from the public‘s mind, and influence along with it. Influence points will decay at a pre-determined rate, with a certain percentage of Auctoritas and Gravitas being lost each quarter. 5.2.4 Dignitas For our game purposes, Dignitas is the numeric sum of Auctoritas and Gravitas (Dignitas=Auctoritas + Gravitas) 5.2.5 First Man in Rome Players are ranked according to their Dignitas. If one player has significantly more Dignitas than his closest peer, is considered the First Man in Rome (FMIR). There is an additional FMIR bonus of 10 Gravitas and 10 Auctoritas. The FMIR is to be determined semi-annually by the Arbiter(s). The First Man in Rome must be a Praetor or higher, as well as hold at least a 15% influence lead over his nearest competitor. 5.3 THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLIES The Senate is the main governing body of The Legacy of Sulla. Its members are made up of those who have held any magistracy ranked from Quaestor or Tribune of the Plebs and up, or those citizens who qualify. Its meetings are held in one of the temples of Rome. Posts will be made in the SENATUS thread. 5.3.1 Qualifications for Membership in the Senate A PC must meet the following criteria for membership in the Senate: 1. Be a citizen in good standing, not involved in trade. (Trade was considered beneath the dignity of a member of the senatorial class, quite revolting, really.) 2. Must have a proven income of 100,000 D yearly 3. Total net worth (cash plus residence plus agricultural estates plus insulae owned) must exceed 500,000 D. There may be situations where a PC may not qualify to be a Senator. Three examples would be a PC who has been forcibly expelled by the Censors, an Equite (Knight Businessman) who prefers to remain openly involved in trade (and thus disqualified). In these instances, the PC‘s can still wield influence in the Senate through the use of an NPC Proxy. There two Assemblies, or comitiae, of The Legacy of Sulla: the Popular Assembly (comitia populi) and the Plebeian Assembly (comitia plebis). The Plebeian Assembly is open to all Plebeian citizens of Rome. Patricians are not allowed into it. Its meetings are held in the COMITIA PLEBIS thread. The Popular Assembly is made up of the whole People – all Roman citizens are enrolled automatically in the Popular Assembly. It is in this Assembly that the annual elections for the various magistracies are held. Also, only the Popular Assembly can formally declare war. Its meetings are held in the COMITIA POPULI thread. 5.3.2 Legislation In The Republic, there are two forms of laws. One is the form a law takes when introduced to the Senate, a Senatus Consultum (SC). The other is the form that it takes when introduced into one of the Assemblies, such as the Plebeian or Popular Assemblies, a Lex. b) A Senatus Consultum can only be introduced, debated, and passed in the Senate. Its main concerns are those relating to military matters (e.g. military commands, raising of legions and auxiliaries, etc), provincial governorships, annexation of new lands, foreign policy, and the Treasury of Rome. Only Senators can introduce or vote upon a Senatus Consultum. A Senatus Consultum is considered a binding law in the world of The Legacy of Sulla. A Lex is any law that is passed in the Plebeian or Popular Assemblies. Leges (the plural of Lex) are concerned with any type of law, including those outlined above. A Senatus Consultum must be introduced by a Senator, recognized by the Consul with the fasces, and put up to debate for no less than three days, IRL. This allows everyone concerned to get a word in. It must then be placed under vote for no less than four days, IRL. In times of need, the Consul with the fasces may shorten the debating and voting time limits, within reason. A Lex put before the Plebeian Assembly must be introduced by a Plebeian, usually a Tribune of the Plebs or Plebeian Senator, recognized by the President of the College of Tribunes, and put up for debate for no less than four days IRL. It must then be put under vote for no less than five days IRL. As with the Senatus Consultum, time limits may be reasonably reduced in times of need. A Lex put before the Popular Assembly can be introduced by either Plebeian or Patrician, and must be recognized by the Consul with the fasces. It must then be put up for debate for no less than five days and under vote for no less than seven days, both IRL. As with the Senatus Consultum, time limits may be reasonably reduced in times of need. A quorum of at least 40% must be achieved in order for a Senatus Consultum to be considered legitimate. A quorum of at least 20% must be achieved for a Lex to be considered legitimate. All laws will be classified according to their contents to one of six categories, prior to voting. These are: Reactionary, Conservative, Moderate, Liberal, Revolutionary and Routine. These are used to determine influence bonuses and NPC voting mechanisms. According to their classification, bills will be awarded influence bonuses. If the bill is passed, the proposer of the bill will receive twice the bonus. If defeated by a vote, bonuses will be assessed as usual. Reactionary bills will receive a (AYE) 2G bonus or (NAY) 2A bonus. Conservative bills will receive a (AYE) 1G bonus or (NAY) 1A bonus. Moderate bills will receive a (AYE) 1A bonus or (NAY) 1G bonus. Liberal bills will receive a (AYE) 2A bonus or (NAY) 2G bonus. Revolutionary bills will receive a (AYE) 3A bonus or (NAY) 3G bonus. Routine bills will receive no bonus. 5.4 THE CURSUS HONORUM Romans embarking upon a career in politics sought political office in a traditional, well-defined sequence called the Cursus Honorum (Course of Honors). New members starting in the game that wish to play must follow the cursus honorum. In order to do this, they must begin with a tier 1 position. These positions are: Tribune of the Plebs, Quaestor, and Aedile. In order to advance to a tier 2 position (that of Praetor), all players must hold the position of Quaestor. Players must also wait one year between holding their first tier 1 position and advancing to tier 2. This provision can be waived with the express approval of the Arbiter(s). During that one year interval, players may hold an additional tier 1 post. Once elected to Praetor, players must again wait a minimum of one year after the end of their term before running for Consul. During this year, they may serve as a Propraetor. 5.4.1 Possible Paths to the Consulship A player can take various routes to the Consulship as he ascends the Cursus Honorum: Tribune of the Plebs>Quaestor>Praetor>Propraetor >Consul Quaestor>Tribune/Aedile>Praetor>Propraetor >Consul Quaestor>Nothing for one year>Praetor>Nothing for one year>Consul Once one has achieved the Consulship, they may run either for the Censorship or be appointed Proconsul of a province. If you‟re talking about it, debating it, and voting on it in the Senate, it‟s a Senatus Consultum. If your‟re debating it before the People from the Rostra, it‟s a Lex. 5.5 MAGISTRACIES High ranking magistracies will be elected by the citizens of Rome every year. Lower ranking positions, such as those of Quaestor, and Tribune of the Plebs, are also to be elected by the citizens yearly – however, the Arbiter(s) may also appoint new members during the course of the year to these positions when available. Any other appointments must be made in-game by Senate vote. 5.5.1 Quaestor The position of Quaestor was one that originally was something of a pay-clerk assigned to provinces and magistrates who held imperium, and was available to both Patricians and Plebeians as the first real rung on the cursus honorum. However, by the time of the Late Republic, they had evolved to fulfill the role of minor legates. Number of Quaestors elected: 10 Term of Office: 1 year Requirements: Novice of AW, Patrician or Plebeian Elected by: Popular Assembly (or appointed by Senate/Arbiter) Auctoritas: 5 (1.25/Quarter) Gravitas: 10 (2.5/Quarter) 5.5.2 Legatus The position of Legatus is as a chief lieutenant to a magistrate with imperium, generally in command of one or more legions. Legati must be Senators. Number of Legati elected: None, they are appointed by the Senate Term of Office: Defined by Senate, may not exceed term of office of their superior officer Requirements: Novice of AW, Patrician or Plebeian Appointed by: Senate Auctoritas: 10 (2.5/Quarter) Gravitas: 20 (5/Quarter) 5.5.3 Tribune of the Plebs The position of Tribune of the Plebs is as the elected leader of the Plebeians of Rome. Only Plebeians may run for this office and be elected to it. Ten Tribunes of the Plebs are to be elected yearly. Any Tribune of the Plebs may veto a Senatus Consultum or Lex they regard as harming the interests of the People of Rome. This was also deemed an ‗entry-level‘ position on the cursus honorum. Number of Tribunes elected: 10 Term of Office: 1 year The Tribune of the Plebs was an extremely powerful position. Talk about being able to throw a monkey wrench into the political machinery! (whoops, that choice of words was anachronistic!) Patricians need not apply, however. It‟s a position which can be held by only Plebeians. Requirements: Novice of AW, Plebeian Only Elected by: Plebeian Assembly Auctoritas: 25 (6.25/Quarter) Gravitas: 10 (2.5/Quarter) 5.5.4 Aedile The position of Aedile held many responsibilities. In Ancient Rome, as in The Legacy of Sulla, four Aediles were elected each year – two Curule, and two Plebeian. The Curule Aedile positions were open to both Patrician and Plebeian, whereas that of Plebeian Aedile is open only to Plebeians. Aediles are responsible for the upkeep of the public buildings and roads of Rome, as well as for holding gladiatorial games and chariot races. Aediles must hold at least one festival each year (see the rule on Games for further information). Number of Aediles elected: 4 Term of Office: 1 year Requirements: Novice of AW, 0-2 Patricians, 2-4 Plebeians, Quaestor Curule Aediles elected by: Popular Assembly Plebeian Aediles elected by: Plebeian Assembly Auctoritas: 25 (6.25/Quarter) Gravitas: 15 (3.75/Quarter) 5.5.5 Praetor The next ranking position on the cursus honorum is the first of the higher magistracies, meaning that its occupants hold imperium. This position is that of Praetor. In Ancient Rome, Praetors served as judges for the various courts in Rome – but could be given a propraetorial or proconsular imperium in one of the provinces and could serve as governor for up to three years, providing they are prorogued by the Senate. The top ranking Praetor (e.g. the candidate who polls the most votes) is called the Praetor Urbanus, and is the overall judge for all matters concerning exclusively Roman citizens (i.e. both parties in a case are Roman citizens). The second ranking Praetor elected is called the Praetor Peregrinus, and handles cases involving foreign litigants. Both of these Praetors cannot leave Rome for more than two days IRL. Should both Consuls be out of Rome, the Praetor Urbanus becomes the highest-ranking magistrate within Rome. The other four Praetors elected are expected to serve as governors of Hispania Ulterior, Hispania Citerior, Sicilia, and finally Sardinia et Corsica. Number of Praetors Elected: 6 Term of Office: 1 year (may be prorogued - see below) Requirements: Citizen of AW, Patrician or Plebeian, Quaestor Aediles can rack up a bunch of influence points by holding spectacular and memorable games…but it‟s expensive! It costs a lot of denarii to put on a good show. (And, we might add, it is a lot of work as a PC to hold, write about, and run the games properly for all the other player characters!) Praetors hold imperium. Lots of power holds lots of temptations to abuse it, growing rich & powerful in the process. But watch out! If you‟re caught with your hand in the cookie jar, or if you make some political enemies, it may all come back to bite you…hard! Elected by: Popular Assembly NOTE: Praetors must give one week's notice before resigning voluntarily from the group Urbanus Auctoritas: 30 (7.5/Quarter) Peregrinus Auctoritas: 25 (6.25/Quarter) All others Auctoritas: 20 (5/Quarter) Gravitas: 30 (7.5/Quarter) Praetors get six ceremonial bodyguards, called Lictors. They are provided by the College of Lictors. They‘re very interesting and useful characters. Learn more about them and use them effectively. 5.5.6 Propraetors Propraetors are magistrates who are or were formally Praetors. Usually this title is given to Praetors who serve as governors of Rome‘s provinces. Any Senator who has held the position of Praetor can be appointed at a later time as the Propraetor of a province. For simplicity‘s sake, the title Propraetor shall only be applied to ex-Praetors who serve as provincial governors, or are otherwise invested with a propraetorial imperium by the Senate. A governor‘s propraetorial imperium must be renewed by vote of the Senate every year. Number of Propraetors: To be determined by the Senate Term of Office: 1 year (may be prorogued for up to 3 years) Requirements: Citizen of AW, Patrician or Plebeian, Praetor NOTE: Propraetors must give at least one week's notice before voluntarily resigning from the group Auctoritas: 25 (6.25/Quarter) Gravitas: 40 (10/Quarter) 5.5.7 Consuls Consuls are the highest elected officials of the Republic. Two are elected each year to serve as the Commanders in Chief of Rome‘s legions, chief executives, and top magistrates. A Consul‘s imperium while in office overrules the imperium of any other Roman magistrate. Out of the two elected, the one who receives the most votes is called the Senior Consul, and holds the fasces, or chief authority, first. The other is called the Junior Consul. The fasces alternate between the two Consuls for periods of one month IRL. It is the Senior Consul‘s responsibility to organize and hold the yearly elections. Number of Consuls elected: 2 Term of Office: 1 year (may be prorogued) Requirements: Citizen of AW, 0-1 Patricians, 1-2 Plebeians, Praetor Lictors are very interesting characters. Including them in your storyline can add a great deal of interest to your posts. (Remember, though: only Praetors and above rate lictors!) The Republican government split executive power between two Consuls. This was considered safer than having all that power invested in one man (like the kings and tyrants of the world), because each Consul would serve to check the ambition and power of his colleague. Elected by: Popular Assembly NOTE: Consuls must give one week's notice before resigning voluntarily from the group Auctoritas: 50 (12.5/Quarter) Gravitas: 50 (12.5/Quarter) Consuls get twelve lictors. 5.5.8 Proconsuls Proconsuls are former Consuls, and in some extraordinary cases Praetorial governors or ex-Praetors, who serve as provincial governors or army commanders. As with Propraetors, a Proconsul‘s imperium must be renewed by vote of the Senate each year. A Proconsul‘s imperium outranks that of a Propraetor, but not that of a Consul in office. Number of Proconsuls: To be Determined by the Senate Term of Office: 1 year (may be prorogued for up to 3 years – see below) Requirements: Citizen of AW, patrician or plebeian, Consul NOTE: Proconsuls must give at least one week's notice before voluntarily resigning from the group Auctoritas: 40 (10/Quarter) Gravitas: 45 (11.25/Quarter) 5.5.9 Censors In ancient Rome, the Censor was the highest and last position on the cursus honorum, though it did not technically outrank that of Consul. However, all Censors must be former Consuls, Censors took the census, supervised public behavior, renewed public contracts, oversaw public works, and review the Senatorial membership. Number of Censors elected: 2 Term of Office: 5 years Requirements: Citizen of AW, Patrician or plebeian, Consul NOTE: Censors must give at least one week's notice before voluntarily resigning from the group Auctoritas: 40 (10/Quarter) Gravitas: 45 (11.25/Quarter) 5.5.10 Princeps Senatus The Princeps Senatus is the oldest, active, Patrician member of the Senate. They serve not only as leaders of the Senate, but also as a leader of the group itself, serving as the welcoming committee for the group, watching that all magistrates are meeting their posting requirements, etc. Number of Princeps Senati elected: 1 Term of Office: Life Requirements: Citizen of AW, Patrician, Consul Elected by: Senate, upon the death of the preceding Princeps Senatus Auctoritas: 50 (12.5/Quarter) Gravitas: 50 (12.5/Quarter) 5.5.11 Dictator. Unlike the modern concept of a dictator, Roman Dictators were officials named by the Senate to take control of the State for a limited period of time (usually only 6 months to a year) for a stated purpose (to repel a foreign invasion, say). They could bypass the Senate for many decisions, and the ability of the Senate or Tribunes to interfere with them was limited. Since they embody the executive capabilities and authority of both Consuls (and then some), they rate 24 lictors. 5.5.12 Magistrate Responsibilities Lower magistrates (Quaestors, Tribunes of the Plebs, and Aediles) must post at least once per IRL month. Higher ranking magistrates (Praetors and above) must post at least twice per IRL month. Failure to do so will result in their demotion, as well as a permanent negative Auctoritas and Gravitas modifier, based on length of inactivity. Resigning an elected office or being stripped of an elected/appointed office incurs a negative penalty equal to the influence gain from that office. For instance, if Lucius Junius were to serve as Aedile for one quarter, he would receive that Quarter‘s bonus for the office of Aedile. Were he to resign the next quarter, he would be docked the full year‘s influence bonus. (Note: this does not apply to characters that become inactive or extremely wounded). 5.5.13 NPC Magistrates and Candidates Where there are not enough character candidates for a particular political office, NPC candidates will be run. There will always be at least 1.5 times as many candidates as available positions, with the exception of the Consulate, which shall always see a minimum of seven candidates. Therefore: Consul – min. 7 candidates Praetor – min. 9 candidates Aedile – min. 6 candidates Tribune – min. 15 candidates Quaestor – min. 15 candidates NPC candidates will be played by the Arbiter(s) or the Advisor(s). Prior to the voting, NPC candidate ‗platforms‘ will be issued, stating the past offices held, which way their political ideals lean, etc. NPC candidates that are elected will continue to be played by the Arbiter(s) or Advisor(s), but not in an active role, unless called upon to do so. Events that might warrantt active participation include but are not limited to: if Praetor Urbanus, Peregrinus, or Iudex, they will preside over their court; if Propraetor of a province, they will govern that province; if President of the College of Tribunes, they will set up timeframes for debating and voting; if Consul, they will preside over the Senate when they hold the fasces; etc. NPC Magistrates may be bought, in accordance with their previously held offices, status (patrician, plebeian, new man), and political ideals. To ‗buy off‘ a magistrate in office, one must e-mail the Arbiter(s) with their intent, and price. (NOTE: Magistrates of opposite political ideals may reject an offer outright, no matter what the price). Gravitas/Auctoritas can also be purchased. As above, email the Arbiter(s) with how much influence you would like to try and purchase, and the amount you are willing to spend. The Arbiter(s) will email you back with your results. As with bribing magistrates, there is a 5% chance that your attempts at mass bribery leak to the public, which in certain circumstances can lead to a trial. 5.6 ELECTIONS Voting in yearly elections for magistracies is restricted to Players of the game with the Auctoritas to do so. Writers are free to voice their opinion in the COMITIA POPULI thread. Also, candidates may give speeches, and other players may make public endorsements of candidates on the COMITIA POPULI thread. At least two weeks prior to the end of the third quarter, the Senior Consul (or in his absence, the Junior) must open the COMITIA POPULI thread to those who wish to declare their candidacy. Candidates must post their PC name and what office they intend to run for during this time. Once nominations are closed by the Consul (no later than five days prior to the end of the game year), the Arbiter(s) will compile a list of PC candidates, populate it with NPC candidates, and post a ballot on the COMITIA POPULI thread for voters to use. Voting will commence upon the posting of the ballot, and conclude at least two days before the end of the game year. Each PC can vote only once, and once you have voted you cannot retract your vote and change it at a later time, nor can you vote twice. This is not only to ensure historical accuracy, but also to make things easier upon the Arbiter(s) counting the votes. Votes are cast by emailing the Arbiter(s) at sullas.game@gmail.com with your PC Name and completed ballot In order to vote in a yearly election, one must have been a member of The Legacy of Sulla for a period not less than two weeks, and must have made at least three posts (these can include your profile and backstory posts, but no other OOC communication) (first votes in the Senate, Assembly, and yearly elections exempt from this clause). In the case of legislation, those entitled by their position to vote can do so, and must follow the rules outlined above. 5.6.1 NPC Voting NPCs make up most of the Senate and Assembly in Rome, and not all of them are tasked to one PC or another. Those NPC voting blocks can make or break a Senatus Consultum, and make or break you at the polls in the yearly elections! Elections are a big deal. Winning an election for the higher offices takes some work and preparation. For entry level positions (Quaestor, Tribune), being able to fog up a bronze mirror is usually enough to satisfy the voters… NPCs are split between five ‗factions‘: Reactionary, Conservative, Moderate, Liberal, and Revolutionary. These span the spectrum of political thought in ancient Rome. The number of NPC voters that are assigned to each faction is once again determined by the NPC magistrates. For instance, in 644 AUC Q2 there are 5 Reactionaries, 18 Conservatives, 6 Moderates and 6 Liberals serving as magistrates – therefore, 5% of the voting pool is Reactionary, 18% is Conservative, etc. For legislation, NPC voters will vote according to a sliding scale, determined by the Arbiters. For elections, NPC voters will vote as close to their own faction as possible. The Legacy of Sulla © Copyright 2011 Jim Sebastian